Telemedicine Covid Test Experiences & CVS Rapid Covid ?

[UpstateCruizer]

I have a cruise coming up in 2 weeks. Initially I planned on doing the telemedicine at home Covid tests. We have 3 people going from my family so I figured purchasing 2 boxes of the twin pack would work. However I’ve been told each box has to be registered to the same person so we’d need to purchase 3 boxes at $69 each. This adds up quickly although it would be much less stress. 
 

Tomorrow is the day we could schedule a CVS rapid test to ensure we’d get the results in time for our cruise. For anyone that has scheduled a Covid appointment at CVS do you know what time they open the new test appointments? I’m thinking that if it’s midnight I may stay up tonight although mot ideal. 
 

Thanks for any input from actual experiences. 

[Jacble1214]

It is midnight.  I stayed up to get an appointment.  I've heard several people say that CVS has cancelled on them last minute so I purchased the at home test and cancelled my CVS appointment.

[llarsen]

I ordered a two pack $69.00 for my husband and I when we went to Italy last month.

We each created a eMed account and on the day we tested we each logged in with one test from the double pack and it took about 30mins start to finish including wait time to connect with agent.

 

We are going on a family reunion cruise in 2 weeks and I ordered 9 tests (3) three packs and will test 9 people.

 

Each test is in separate packaging. Just do not open them until you are told to do so by the agent.

 

Maybe someone else had different experience but to my knowledge and experience each test is individual (even when purchased in a pack) and you need individual accounts to test. 

[UpstateCruizer]

Thank you! 

[thymcruisers]

What time of the day is easiest to get through to a proctor with at home test? We will be driving to our port so will leave EARLY THURSDAY morning for our Saturday departure.....can we try to get tested with home test/proctor at 1 a.m. in the morning on Thursday?

[keels81]

Cruises are so expensive and the testing process is already so stressful ... we just went ahead with the TeleMed at-home tests (we did them at our hotel) and I was SO GLAD we did. We bought the six pack (for the three of us) and it was a relief to wake up on Thursday morning, do our test and know we were good before we boarded the Mardi Gras on Saturday.

 

[keels81]

33 minutes ago, thymcruisers said:

What time of the day is easiest to get through to a proctor with at home test? We will be driving to our port so will leave EARLY THURSDAY morning for our Saturday departure.....can we try to get tested with home test/proctor at 1 a.m. in the morning on Thursday?

 

One of my friends is a VERY early riser and did hers at 4 a.m. Thursday in East Coast time. Just make sure it shows Thursday as the day you take your test!

[IntrepidFromDC]

The CVS's in our area seem to be functioning like clockwork.  Daily regular queue.  Ours went really well for our 9/12 cruise and today I got the text reminder about tomorrow's test.  We cruise Sunday, Pride-willing.

[BoozinCroozin]

Anyone can use the BinaxNow with eMed. They each have to have their own Navica account and preferably their own email account. I would insure that you have 2 test kits per person AND schedule a rapid test somewhere. There have been issues with the eMed test kits: dropper empty, proctor skipping or messing up a step, user dropping the test from the video, the video camera shutting off, computer going into sleep mode, etc. Lots can go wrong. There are 3 of us and I have (had) the 6-pack. We used one to test our daughter the other week just to be sure she didn't have covid. I am confident we will be fine with 2 spares, but I am still scheduling rapid tests for us that I can cancel.

[lizygirl3]

Did our Binax test yesterday. Easy mine went off without a hitch. Husbands another story. 

1. make sure you log out of the Navac site, it automatically remembers the last users information.

2. His dropper empty. I had done mine before his and had fluid left. The proctor, after my husband said their was no fluid in his dropper, asked if we had another  and Okayed using mine.

3. Easy all of us are negative. Would use again

[au1999]

Just to answer a question from the OP about having to register names when you order the kits.  It was my experience, and I have read elsewhere, that what names you use to register when you order the kits from eMed are independent of what name you use when you take the test through Navac.   

 

I ordered a 6 pack for 4 of us cruising.  I could only type in 3 names when I ordered through eMed.  So I didn't use my name and used the other 3.  When I took my test yesterday, I just registered a new account on the Navac app and it went though fine.

 

I think when you order the kits and have to give them names, that's just so eMed can fill out the paperwork on their end for their prescription.  But once you receive the kits, there is no link from that prescription to the boxes themselves - no names on the box or anything that mentions the prescriptions.  It is just 6 separate test kits in the shipping box.  So technically if you have 6 people cruising you can order the 6-pack, but I would try to have 1 or 2 as backup.

 

All 4 of us did the test, and all 4 kits were good and tests were all negative!  All easy and done within 30 minutes.

[wgeddings]

I am curious about the home test kits.  I see a lot of people using them but we got our tests done at a "doc in the box" urgent care place locally.  We had to make an appointment and got the rapid test but it only cost $14 and insurance paid the rest.  If we had no insurance, they said it would have been free under the CARES act.  Why are people paying so much more for the home test kits?  I do not know what CVS or other places charge.   Honestly asking and not trying to debate things.  Perhaps there are no "doc in a box" places near you or something else?

[RGEDad]

10 minutes ago, wgeddings said:

Why are people paying so much more for the home test kits?

Many places do not have tests where the results are available within 24 hours. Some places are tooooo far away. Sometimes one is in foreign lands and need to fly back (Original marketing for these tests), Sometime people have B2B and need testing for the second cruise while still on the first (not all cruise lines provide end of cruise testing). Some just want a back-up plan B incase something goes wrong (ie appointments cancelled). Some are driving for several days and are unable to figure out a place to test mid-drive...

 

[cjsegninir]

I booked CVS about 2 weeks in advance and all the tests went well.

 

But you may consider calling your doctor. Any clinic should be able to do testing. It is likely going to be cheaper than buying the home kit

[funinthesun1964]

Hi - I live in Central Florida and today I could make an appointment for my window for my next cruise.  However, no rapid test is available....at least now. I'm wondering if anyone has taken the PCR test at CVS and had a one day or less turnaround?  I could wait until later to see if there are any rapid tests available, but worried there may be no appointments. I guess I could check with the local health department too. I'd rather not do the at home test.  

[DGNewton]

15 hours ago, UpstateCruizer said:

I have a cruise coming up in 2 weeks. Initially I planned on doing the telemedicine at home Covid tests. We have 3 people going from my family so I figured purchasing 2 boxes of the twin pack would work. However I’ve been told each box has to be registered to the same person so we’d need to purchase 3 boxes at $69 each. This adds up quickly although it would be much less stress. 
 

Tomorrow is the day we could schedule a CVS rapid test to ensure we’d get the results in time for our cruise. For anyone that has scheduled a Covid appointment at CVS do you know what time they open the new test appointments? I’m thinking that if it’s midnight I may stay up tonight although mot ideal. 
 

Thanks for any input from actual experiences. 

I just called EMed and they said we could use each test for my wife and I, as long as we each have an Navica account.  This is for the Abbott Lab BinaxNow Test kits - 2 kits for $69.

[au1999]

1 hour ago, wgeddings said:

I am curious about the home test kits.  I see a lot of people using them but we got our tests done at a "doc in the box" urgent care place locally.  We had to make an appointment and got the rapid test but it only cost $14 and insurance paid the rest.  If we had no insurance, they said it would have been free under the CARES act.  Why are people paying so much more for the home test kits?  I do not know what CVS or other places charge.   Honestly asking and not trying to debate things.  Perhaps there are no "doc in a box" places near you or something else?

 

For me, it was just so I wouldn't have to take off work to get tested and deal with the hassle of getting an appointment at the urgent care or sitting in the long line at the Walgreen's drive through.  I just woke up a little early, did the test at my kitchen table, and went to work.  Also, my wife was out of town for her work, so she was able to just take it in her hotel room.  I heard I might be able to get reimbursed for the cost from my insurance, so I was going to check into that.  But you're right, I do have insurance and the few times I've been tested at the Urgent care it was at no charge to me, so that is the cheaper option.

[Saint Greg]

CVS was four days for me. But I did just do Walgreens yesterday with the 24 hour deal and got it in under 30 minutes. Walmart was two days for me.

 

Edited October 22, 2021 by Saint Greg

[funinthesun1964]

38 minutes ago, Saint Greg said:

CVS was four days for me. But I did just do Walgreens yesterday with the 24 hour deal and got it in under 30 minutes. Walmart was two days for me.

 

How far out could you book the Walgreens appointment?

[Bostwick girl]

14 minutes ago, funinthesun1964 said:

How far out could you book the Walgreens appointment?

Walgreens is 2 days out. We will sail on a Sunday, so will make our appointments for Friday on Wednesday morning earliest available. Go to Walgreens at appt time, do the test. First time we 3 did it in Early October, one got results in 40 minutes, 2 of us was almost 5 hours.  Easy easy and best part is FREE!

 

[K&RCurt]

5 hours ago, wgeddings said:

I am curious about the home test kits.  I see a lot of people using them but we got our tests done at a "doc in the box" urgent care place locally.  We had to make an appointment and got the rapid test but it only cost $14 and insurance paid the rest.  If we had no insurance, they said it would have been free under the CARES act.  Why are people paying so much more for the home test kits?  I do not know what CVS or other places charge.   Honestly asking and not trying to debate things.  Perhaps there are no "doc in a box" places near you or something else?

In our case, in our area they are only using the rapid tests at the "Doc in the Box" as you say, if you have symptoms. For "Travel or other reasons" they will only use the longer test and are quoting results in "2 to 4 days"  14 days out when CVS permitted you to sign up for a test there were no rapid tests availibe anywhere closer that an hour and a half drive away.  The EMed BiNax NOW test was a no-brainer.

[VOLEYMOM]

Did you order the   EMed BiNax test and have them mailed to you or purchase at a local drug store. If online how long before you received it? We are hoping on a last minute cruise and not sure if we will get them on time. Might need to just go get the $$$ rapid test. 

[wgeddings]

11 hours ago, RGEDad said:

Many places do not have tests where the results are available within 24 hours. Some places are tooooo far away. Sometimes one is in foreign lands and need to fly back (Original marketing for these tests), Sometime people have B2B and need testing for the second cruise while still on the first (not all cruise lines provide end of cruise testing). Some just want a back-up plan B incase something goes wrong (ie appointments cancelled). Some are driving for several days and are unable to figure out a place to test mid-drive...

 

Thanks, great reasons.   

[RGEDad]

4 hours ago, VOLEYMOM said:

EMed BiNax test and have them mailed to you or purchase at a local drug store. If online how long before you received it?

You have to buy the proctored units from eMed (6 Pack if available now-were sold out)or Optum 2 pack or 3 pack (Link from eMed web site if named is still out)

The units you buy in the store are SELF Tests (not HOME Tests) and are NOT proctored and NOT usable for cruise test validation. 

I got mine from eMed in 2 days (Fed Ex). That seems typical - with some exceptions noted in the blogs of course.

Note: they are actually the "Abbott BINAX Home Test" - sold by eMed & Optum (who provide the proctoring service). The correct box should clearly state "Do Not Open until instructed to" - the local store devices will not have those instruction/sleeve.

 

Edited October 23, 2021 by RGEDad
grammer & punctuation corrections

[msvickyes]

We bought a 6 pack for 4 of us. We did one at 2:30 am. One at 8:30 a.m and 2 at 2:00 pm. Immediately got a person so no wait time. We did 3 on a desktop and one on a phone. My mom is 83 and could not hear at all. They were fine with me there repeating everything to her and preparing the swab for the kit.  Our sound went off halfway through so we finished with the chat option. 
my sister had a continuous beeping during her test and we used chat for her also.

the cell phone option did require 2 people as the camera switched from back to front a couple of times. 
We were very relieved when we were all negative. Received Emailed results within minutes.

Printed those out and had no issues at the ship. 

Had a great time on the Dream so it was worth it in the long run.